Combination lock



April 21, 1953 P. G. COLEMAN COMBINATION LOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJune 30, 1948 INVENTOR. Z PHILIP G. COLEMAN iZZMMZA QQM HIS ATTORNEYApril 21, 1953 P. G. COLEMAN 2,635,449

COMBINATION LOCK Filed June so", 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 27 INVENTOR.

PHIUP a. COLEMAN Vmwg HIS ATTORN April 21, 1953 P. G. COLEMANCOMBINATION LOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 50, 1948 MAM as s mINVENTOR. PHILIP G. COLEMAN i/M Z HIS ATTORNEY iatented Apr. 21, 1953COMBINATION LOCK Philip G. Coleman, Chattanooga, Tenn., assignor, bydirect and mesne assignments,-of two-fifths to Edward L. Klapper,one-fifth to Andrew A. Wassick, and two-fifths to Lela H. Coleman, allof Chattanooga, Tenn.

Application June 30, 1948, Serial No. 36,029

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a combination lock and t .more particularlypertains to a lock of such a nature that the elements, of which it iscomposed,

must be adjusted into a predetermined position toeach other before thelock is effective.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a lock, of simple andinexpensive construction, which may be affixed to the lid of a con-;tainer, and which requires that the parts of the members to change thecombination of the lock.

A' further object of my invention is to provide a lock which isparticularly useful for containers such as jewel cases, coin boxes,luggage or the like which have relatively thin walls.

Further objects, and objects relating to details of construction andeconomies of operation, will definitely appear from the detaileddescription to follow. In one instance, I have accomplished the objectsof my invention by the devices and means described in the followingspecification. My invention is clearlydefined and pointed out in theappended claims. Combination locks constituting preferred embodiments ofmy invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which: Fig. 1.is a plan view of acontainer with the combination lock. a

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig.1.

'Fig; 3 is a partial, sectional view of the substance of Fig. 2 butshowing the lid in raised position. v

Fig. 4'is a detail, sectional the line 44 of Fig; 2. Fig. 5 is a detail,sectional view taken alon the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. V Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the bushing used in the lock. v V Fig. 7 is a viewof a modified form of the rotatable dials of my invention. Fig. 8 is aperspective View of the shiftable pin used in the lock.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a form of my invention showing the lock inlatching position.

Fig. 10 is a view of the substanceof Fig. 9 with the lock in thedisengaged position. I

,Fig. l 1 is a detail, sectional view taken along the line H-ll of Fig.10;

View. taken along Fig. 12 is a detail, sectional view taken along theline I 2--l 2 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a detail view of the movable locking member.

In the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same partsthroughout the several views and the sectional views are taken lookingin the direction of the arrows at the ends of the section lines.

In general, my invention consists of a lock which has a plurality ofmembers rotatable about a common axis, each of the members having a holeand a radial slot therein. In the holes in the rotatable members I mayprovide a bushing having a slot. ,A pin, rectangular in cross-sectionextends through the slot in the bushing and is shiftable into the radialslots in the rotatable members when said slots are in alignment. The pinextending through said slots has secured to one end a flat latch memberwhich is shiftable to locking engagement with a keeper on the container.When this pin occupies the slot in the bushing, the turnable members areindependently rotatable about the'pin and bushing, but, when the pin isshifted into the ends of'the slots in the turnable members, the shiftingof the pin also causes the latch member to be moved to. in.- terlockingengagement with a slot on the lid of the container so the parts are heldagainst relative rotation when the lid is unlocked. Since the lockmembers must be'adjusted into predetermined relation with each otherbefore the pin can be shifted to unlock the latch member, it isdesirable to indicate the relative positions of the turnable members.This may be done by providing various markings on the members to bealigned in a certain relation before the pin can be shifted from neutralto effective position.

The pin member may be provided with a knob which covers the slottedopening. The pin preferably has a'fiat stem which moves in the slot tomove the locking piece, but is long enough when shifted to position torelease the latch member, to prevent rotation of the dials until thelatch member is moved. back into locking position. I have also shown amodification wherein the re tatable members are provided withirregularly shaped peripheries andmatching annular members having theirinner surfaces shaped to correspond to the irregular shapes on saidrotatable members. This provides for changing the combination of thelock by merely repositioning the annular members on their respectiveturnable members.

I have also shown a. form of my invention particularly useful forluggage locks. In this form I provide a forked spring which projectsinto a keeper. When it is desired to lock the spring in the keeper, alatch member is moved between the prongs of the forked spring to pressthem outwardly into locking engagement with the keeper.

Referring to the numbered parts of the drawings, I have shown, in Fig.1, a box l having side walls |2, I3 and I4 and a curved bottom l5. A lidI6 is hinged to the container on pins l1 and I8. The lid I6 has anopening in which bushing 22 is rotatable. A turnable disc 2| isrotatable on the bushing 22 and a smaller rotatable disc 23 issuperimposed ondiscZI and is also retatable on the bushing 22. Each ofthe discs, 2|

and 23 are provided with a slot 26 which when the dials are in selectedpositions form with the slot 26 in the lid l6, a composite'radial slot.

A pin 21, having a head or knob 28, on one end adapted to cover the slotin the member 23, is normally positioned in a slot 24 in the bushing 22and maybe shifted, by moving the knob, when the slots 26 and 26 arealigned. The bottom end of the pin 21 has a flat lockin member 4|secured thereto which is movable into and out of locking engagement witha keeper 42 provided on one of the side walls M. The head of the pinmaybe made large enough to form-an operating handle orknob and to cover theslot 26in disc 23 completely.

When the discs are in a predetermined position the slots on each discare aligned with the slot in thelid so that the pin may be shifted tocause the latch member to be moved.

The embodiment of my invention just described constitutes a simple formof lock that is operable by positioning the rotatable discs 2| and 23and the knob 28 to predetermined positions, and by shifting the pin tocause the latch member to be moved.

Since it is necessary to adjust or position the discs 2| and 23 and thehead 28 relative to each other, to bring the slots into alignment it isdesirable to indicate the relative positioning of said members. To thatend, I mark the characters such as diamonds or hearts on the knob 28. Imark letters of the alphabet such as indicated at 42a, on the disc 23,and on the disc 2|, I mark letters such as indicated at 43, which may bein alphabetical order. On the lid I6 I mark characters such as '44.

The relative positions of the dial members may be indicated by thesemarkings. Thus, as illustrated, when the letter B on dial 2|, the letter0 on dial 23 and the letter Y on the lid l6 are in line with the diamondthe turnable members 2| and 23 are so positioned that the slots 26 arein alignment with the slot 26, so that the pin 21 can be shifted fromits central position to unlock the locking member. In other words, thecombination indicating the positioning of the parts, which permits thepin to be shifted and allows the latch member to be moved, is diamondfollowed by BOY-1 InFig. 7 I haveshown an embodiment of my inventionwherein turnable discs such as 30 and 3| are provided which have holes36 and 31 and radial slots 28a and aremounted on bushing 22. Theperipheries of discs 30 and 3| have projections which fit intocorresponding recesses 32 and 33 provided on annular members 34 and 35.The bushing 22 hasa slot 24 through which a pin 21 extends and ismovable when the'discs are brought to the proper predetermined positionin the same manner as shown in the preferred form of my invention. Thetwo piece rotatable member con struction permits the user to change thecombination of the lock by changing the position of the slots relativeto markings on the dials, by repositioning the discs such as 30 and 3|with respect to annular members 33 and34.

In Figs. 9 and 13, I have shown-amodifled form of my invention which isparticularly useful for looks for luggage.

This form comprises a plate member 50, which has mounted thereon aplurality of disc members such as 5| and 5|a rotatable about a commonaxis, each of the members having a hole and a radial slot 52 therein. Inthe hole, a bushing 52 is'provided'having a slot 54. A headed pin 55extends through the slot 54 in the bushing 53 and is shiftable thereinwhen said slots are aligned. The headed pin has a latch piece 56 securedto one end'and is shiftable to a locking position. Lying on each side ofthe piece 56 are container lockin spring members 51 and 58 between whichthe locking member may move, said'locking memberbeing shaped in a mannersuch that'it'expands the spring members when-the headedpin and thelocking memberis shifted. I provide a keeper member 60 which has anopening 6 to receive the forked spring ends 62 and 6301' containerlocking spring members 51 and 58. To'lock the two members together, theends 62 and63'are positioned in the opening! andexpanded'by movement oflatch piece 56 to the positions shown in Fig. 9. This causes the ends62'and-63 to be secured in the keeper member. 'I provide means on thedisc members 5| and*5|a which must be aligned before the latch piece canbe moved. These markings can be of any'suitable character, for examplesuch as are shown in the dials in the preferred form of my invention.

It will be evident that my invention constitutes a relativelyinexpensive and simple locking device, suitable for use on containers,such as coin boxes, jewel boxes, luggage or the like having relativelythin walls, and which will prevent access 'to'such containers byunauthorized persons, but which can quickly be set by an authorizedperson, who knows the combination, to such position that the containermay be opened.

I am aware that the structures illustrated herein, as embodiments of myinvention, are susceptible of considerable variation without departingfrom the spirit of my invention and, therefore, I claim my inventionbroadly as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, anddesire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. In a container having a cover with a hole and a communicating radialslot and a side wall with'a keeper member, a combination lock comprisingthe combination of a plurality-of superimposed rotatable members havinga common axis, each being formed withahole and a communicating radialslot, a pin extending through the hole in saidmembers and through thehole in said cover, a knob on the outer end of said pin for shiftingsaid pin radially of said members and said cover when the slots arealigned, and a locking member on the inner end of said pin-and shiftabletherewith to locking engagement with the keeper member for locking thecontainer.

2. In a container having a cover with a hole and a. communicating slottherethrough and a side wall provided with a keeper element, acombination lock comprising a cylindrical bushing having a radial slottherethrough rotatable in said hole in the cover, a plurality ofturnabie members rotatably mounted on said bushing, a pin arranged insaid radial slot in said bushing and shiftable into said slot in thecover of said container, said turnabie members being formed with slotsextending radially from said bushing for receiving said pin when saidslots are aligned with each other and with the slot in said cover, aknob on the outer end of said pin, and a locking member on the inner endof said pin for engaging or disengaging said keeper when said pin isshifted radially of said turnable members.

PHILIP G. COLEMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberNumber

